Full Circle
by StormWolf10
Summary: Contains spoilers for the series finale. Do not read if you haven't seen episode 8. They'd come full-circle, Alec realised bitterly as he made his way along the beach. Full bloody circle.


**A/N: Can't decide if I'm sorry for this or not…**

They'd come full-circle, Alec realised bitterly as he made his way along the beach. Full bloody circle. He'd resigned, he'd bloody well resigned, but they'd still called him. SOCO Brian had made the call, something about the beach, and cliffs, and Ellie, and then Alec had stopped listening, and begun running. His heart had pounded in his chest, warning him that he shouldn't be running so fast, that he'd do himself some more damage. He'd been scheduled for a pacemaker to be fitted, that day, in just a few hours actually, but after the phone call, Alec couldn't care less.

He was on the beach then, walking towards the cliffs. Towards the body stretched out on the ground. Near where Danny's body had been found, but nearer the cliffs. Alec's brow furrowed as he made his way towards the officers gathered around the body. And then, as he drew nearer and could make out who it was, he ran.

"No! No, no, no!"

He was aware that he was yelling, was aware that the various other police officers who'd reached the scene before him had turned to stare, but Alec couldn't care less about them. He finally skidded to a halt beside the body, breathing heavily, close to keeling over, his eyes never leaving the body. Finally, after several long moments, he caught his breath and rounded on the nearest police officer. It just so happened to be Superintendent Elaine Jenkinson.

"How could you let this happen?!"

"Alec, this is neither the time nor the place-" Elaine began calmly, only to be interrupted by Alec.

"I take it that Ellie's on her way?" Alec asked coolly. "You'd better not have informed her of this over the phone."

"She's being brought down by car," Elaine responded, voice level, although Alec noted she refused to look at the body. "And we're working on closing off the area."

And then, as if on cue, a Police car pulled up near the top of the beach, and Alec could see Ellie climb out in her ridiculous orange parka, Fred on her hip. Even from the distance he was stood at, Alec could tell she was confused, she didn't know what was going on. Taking a deep breath, Alec began walking up the beach as Ellie made her way down. As he drew closer, he could hear her talking to PC Daniels beside her.

"But what's going on?" Ellie asked exasperatedly, adjusting her grip on Fred. "Tom will be home soon from the skate park…"

She trailed off at the sight of Alec.

"And what are you doing here?" she demanded, brow furrowing further. "You resigned, you shouldn't be here!" She paused, before adding: "And I thought you were having your pacemaker fitted today."

"SOCO Brian called," Alec shrugged. "And I think the hospital staff are used to me walking out on them now."

Ellie nodded distractedly as her gaze drifted to the body up by the cliffs. And, later, Alec realised he could pinpoint the exact moment Ellie had realised what had happened as the look of recognition flitted across her face.

"Oh, god, no."

"Ellie-" Alec began warningly, moving towards her, hand outstretched to grip her shoulder reassuringly.

"No, no, no! This isn't happening!"

"Ellie-" Alec tried again.

But then Ellie had thrust Fred into PC Daniels' arms and had begun running across the sand. Alec watched her go, expression pained. They'd come full circle, standing on the beach. By the time Alec caught up with Ellie, she was on her knees, sobbing over the broken body. Police officers were scattered around awkwardly, cordoning off the area and trying to push away worried onlookers who'd appeared. Alec could see so many familiar faces in the gathering group; Reverend Paul Coates, Nige Carter, Becca Fisher… But then, Alec forced himself to pay attention to Ellie again, and found that SOCO Brian and a few other officers were trying to coax her away from the body. Quickly, Alec moved forward, batting them away impatiently and standing protectively behind Ellie, shielding her. He watched as she sobbed over the broken body that lay crumpled on the ground, watched as she instinctively reached out. And then, she turned to look up at Alec with tear-filled eyes.

"Please tell me this isn't happening, Alec," she told him quietly, begging him with wide eyes. "Please tell me my Tom isn't dead."

Alec's pained expression said it all, and as Ellie dissolved into fresh tears he moved to sink to his knees on the sand. His hand found hers in what he hoped was a comforting gesture as he squeezed it. But Ellie didn't take her eyes off the body in the sand, the body of her perfect eleven year old son.

"Why?"

The word was uttered so quietly Alec almost didn't hear, and it seemed more for Ellie's own benefit than his, but he still heard.

"I don't know," Alec admitted quietly, feeling for all his life like they were back in the hotel room again with Ellie asking why Joe had killed Danny. "I don't know, but I'm so sorry, Ellie."

"My little boy! My Tom!"

Alec shifted, pulled Ellie to him in a hug. Police officers were still milling around, muttering to each other, clearly surprised over Alec's actions, but he didn't care. What they thought didn't matter. What did matter was that, in just a week, Ellie's family had been torn apart.

"Was… Did he kill himself?"

Alec looked down to see Ellie staring up at him from where her head was positioned on his chest, her eyes wide and damp. Speechless, Alec nodded. It took a few moments to find his voice.

"He… It was Paul Coates who made the call," Alec managed to get out, voice rough with grief. All he could think about was what Ellie must be going through, about how upset he'd be if it were his daughter. "Paul… He saw Tom jump. Couldn't get there in time… Broke his neck on impact…"

Ellie pushed her head into the crook of Alec's neck, not caring about how he hadn't shaved in days, or that he always wore that blasted suit, or how he'd discharged himself from hospital yet again.

"You're more important than my dodgy old heart."

Ellie blinked, realising she'd said the last statement out loud. Well, loud enough for Alec to hear.

"I can't begin to understand what you're going through, Ellie," Alec continued carefully, "but I'll be here for you."

Ellie nodded wordlessly, tears spilling down her cheeks again. A week ago, Alec recalled, Ellie had had a perfect family. But now, now she'd never have that again. Her husband had committed murder and her oldest son had committed suicide. They'd come full circle, Alec realised bitterly. Full bloody circle. DI Alec Hardy and DS Ellie Miller on the beach near the cliffs, the broken body of a little boy between them. They'd come full circle and their lives would never be the same again.


End file.
